The 2026 World Cup is only 10 days old, but Lionel Messi has already rewritten the history books. The Argentine captain scored a stunning hat-trick in his nation's opening 3-0 win over Algeria, moving level with Germany's Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup goals table with 16 strikes.
Messi took 27 games to reach the mark – three more than Klose – but the 2022 World Cup winner will not mind. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is now poised to move out in front on his own as Argentina prepare to face Austria in Group J.
“Messi's hat-trick ties Klose's 16-goal record, while Kane equals Lineker's England World Cup tally.”
Not to be outdone, Kylian Mbappe is lurking close behind with 14 World Cup goals. The France captain, already his country's all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, could well have the records in his sights. Mbappe won the Golden Boot in Qatar in 2022 with eight goals, and is now aiming to become the first player to win multiple World Cup Golden Boots – though he faces fierce competition from England skipper Harry Kane, who won the prize in 2018 with six goals.
Kane reminded the footballing world of his own prowess in England's 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday. The Three Lions skipper netted twice in Dallas to draw level with Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading scorer at World Cup finals on 10 goals. With Ghana to come on Tuesday night, Kane might not be level with Lineker for long. The Croatia match also marked Kane's 115th England appearance, moving him level with David Beckham among the country's most-capped players, and made him just the second England player – after Beckham in 1998, 2002 and 2006 – to score at three different World Cups.
As the tournament's biggest hitters prepare for their second appearances at the first 48-team competition, records aplenty look ready to fall. Messi, Mbappe, Kane and Erling Haaland all came out of the blocks firing in their opening fixtures, setting the stage for a historic World Cup.